Means for measuring coal, granular and other like bulk material



June 17 1924. v

G. W. P. ROBERTS ET AL MEANS FOR MEASURING COAL, GRANULAR Aix'D OTHER LIIKE BULK MATERIAL Filed Feb. 14, 19 23 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 jIWMT' 117W- l/ 20M- 9M mew. w; m

June 17, 1924. 1,498,298

G. W. P. ROBERTS ET AL MEANS FOR MEASURING COAL, GRANULAR AND OTHER LIKE BULK MATERIAL 2 sh eetsflSheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1923 Patented June 17, 1924.

- UNITED STATES 1,498,298 PATENT. OFFICE.

GEORGE WILLIAM PEARSON ROBERTS AND CHARLES GUI/TIMER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

MEANS Eon. MEASURING coAE, GRANULAR AND OTHER LIKE BULK MATERIAL.

Application filed February 14, 1923. Serial No. 618,953.9

T 0 all whomz't concern: 1 I

Be it known that GEORGE WILLIAM PEAR' SON ROBERTS and CHARLES GUMMEH, both subjects of the King of Great Britain and lreland, residing at London, England, have lnvented new and useful Improvements in and in Means for Measuring Coal, Granular and Other. like Bulk Material, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present inventionis to provide for the determination of therate of delivery of coal,grain, cement or other like loose or granular bulk material to a hopper or other receptacle, in a more accurate and efl'ective manner than heretofore, with the aid of a simple form of apparatus. To this end, the invention consists in causingthe material to'fill and gravitate down a path, and in so doing to drag oradvance endless flexible means part of which through and is embedded in the material in such path so that it moves mutually with the material. The movement of the flexible Ineans'can then, in known or suitable way, be made use of to indicate by 1 suitable means, the volume of material delivered or the rate of delivery, in any convenient terms, either directly, or after comparison with a table prepared by preliminary trials ofthe apparatus. a I

The invention is particularly applicable for use in connection with steam boilers having stokers fed from overhead hoppers, the coal being delivered from any such overhead hopper to a. 'hopper'in the boiler front through a chutewhich may be vertical, or inclined sufliciently to allow of the coal travelling freely down it. In this case, the endless flexible means may take the form of an endless chain passing around a sprocket or pitch wheel at or near the upper end of the chute, and directed, as by a guide pipe, to or near to, the centre of the chute. The return portion of the chain, which is external to the chute, may be protected by 'aguide pipe or suitable casing. A counter or indicator is employed, adapted to be operated from the chain in any suitable manner, as for instance, by a tappet moved, say in opposition to a spring, by a wire, or other flexible or suitable connector, it may be a rod, periodically displaced by any suitable means, for instance a crank, in accordance with rotation of the sprocket or pitch wheel referred to. Or the counter or indicator may be operated directly from the spindle of the extends sprocket or pitch wheel, or through the medium of a sprocket or pitch wheel meshing with the chain at or near its' lower extremity and external to the ,chute. The counter or indicator can, by calibration, or by the use of a table, be adapted to give- "the volume or weight of coal or other material passed in a giventime, or passing at any given time, down the chute. The counter or 1nd1cator may be driven through means, as for example differential pulleys,

to allow for its adjustment to suit varying requirements.

The apparatus can be variously c0nstit'uted to suit the character of the material being dealt with, and the flexible i endless means may be provided with pallets'or de vices for ensuring. that the material shall not advance without producing acorresponding movement of the endless means.

In the accompanying' illustrative drawings,

one another showing one construction of measuring means according to the invention applied to a chute throughwhich material to be measured passes.

Figs. 1 and 2 are views at right angles to Fig. 3 is a similar view to partofflFig. 2,

showing a modified construction.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views at right angles to one another showing one construction of sprocket or pitch wheel that may advantage ouslybe used. s

Fig. 6 shows one construction of the flexible endless means upon which the material to be measured acts.

Figs. 7 and. 8 are views at right angles to one another showing a modified construction of counter mechanism.

Fig. 9 shows in side elevation a further modified construction.

Referringto the drawings, a is a chute,

which may be either vertical or inclined,

through which coal or other material to be measured is allowed to fall into a hopper a". b is an endless chainjpassing around a sprocket, pitch or guide wheel 0 located ator near the upper end of the chute, and directed, as by a guide pipe 03 to the centre of the chute. The chain 6 may pass, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the bottom of the chute, or as shown, in Fig. 3, it may be led out of the chute at a part thereof intermediate of the length of the chute,

as through a hopper e designed to prevent or minimize escape of material from the chute at this point. The outer or return portion of the chain is, or may be, pro tected by a guide pipe f through which it passes. g is a counter or indicator adapted to be operated by an arm or tappet h arranged to be moved in opposition to a spring '5 by a wire 7: or other suitable connector, it may be a rod, actuated by a crank m fixed to the axle 0 of the Wheel and to lighten the wheel. 79 is a central bush also shouldered and firmly f xed in the plates 0?, c to assist in the formation of ajstrong andv light wheel andby means of which the wheel can be fixedfto its spindle 0", to one end of which thecrank m can bewfi xed. The pitch of the pins 0 is such that alternate links of the endless chain 6 will be fiat against the pins and rotate the wheel without slip. I,

In some cases the endless chain 6, may, asshown in Fig. 6, be provided with palletsor enlargements 1" for ensuring that the material to be measured shall notadvance without producing a corresponding movement of the chain. The counter or ind-ica tor 9 may, if desired, and as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 be operated directly from the spindle 0 ofthe sprocket or pitch wheel 0, or as shown in Fig. 9, there may be secured tothe counter or indicatorg a toothed wheel 8 adapted to mesh with and be driven. from the endless chain at or near its lower portion and external to' the chute, the guide pipe f being cut away for the purpose.

The indicator instead of being adapted to indicate the amount of material delivered through thechute, may be constructed and operated after the manner of a speedometer to indicate, in suitable terms, the rate oi"? delivery of the material at any given instant.

' What we claim is:

-1. In combination, a chutethrough which read, cement, granular or other; freely flowing substances in bulkmayfl-ow, an endless fiexible member arranged with part of its length in the chute whereby it-may be dragaway from the side of andtowards, 'tlie middle of the chute, the return portion'ot' the chain being outside the chute, and indicating means operated by the sprocket wheel for indicating the volume of material delivered, substantially as herein setfltorth.

f5;- In combination, a chute dowirwhich coal, cement, granular or like material may flow in bulk, said chute having an opening near its upper end, an endless chainpassingthrough said opening in the chute; and

lying with one part inthe chute and another part outside the chute, a curved guide pipe for guiding the chain towards the middle of the chute, a guide wheel 'for siip- H porting the chain, and an indicator operated by the spindle of the guide wheel, substantially as herein set forth.

4. In combination, a chute down which coal cement, granular or like material may I flow in bulk, an endless chain, a guide wheel over which the chain passes, a portion of said chain passing down the chute.- and means engag ng the chain for indicating the volume of material delivered, substantially as herein set forth,

5, In combination, a chute down or through which coal, cement, granular or similar material in bulk may gravitate or flow, said chute having an opening near its upper end, an endless chain passing through said opening, a guide wheel over which said chain passes, means on the chain whereby the material the chute may act upon and drag the chain at the same speed, and an indicator driven by said chain or guide wheel for indicating the volu'me'of the material delivered, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

mies WILLIAM PEARSON mats. CHARLES GUMMER. 

